Display unit

ABSTRACT

Stacking display unit.  
     According to the invention, objects ( 0 ) are distributed in layers, their bottoms being held by cells of a support ( 10 ) and their tops by the lower surface of the upper support in the stack, a band ( 2 ) being applied on the edge of the supports.  
     Applications: Attractive presentation of objects making them easy to grasp, and addition of a brand name to objects that are not marked.

[0001] The purpose of the present invention is packaging forming a stacking display unit for objects at point of sale, intended in particular, but not exclusively, for sale of disposable lighters.

[0002] Such display units are generally known and are usually made up of a flat surface with cells into which the objects are partially inserted and from which it is, in principle, easy to remove them. But the capacity to display objects on such surfaces is limited to the extent that they are distributed on one level.

[0003] Also known are grouping stands in which the sufficiently rigid objects are arranged by being held at a predetermined distance from each other on a base by means of low-walled cells enclosing their base, their tops being held by heat-shrinkable film. But opening the film frees up all the objects. And single objects cannot usually be stacked.

[0004] A first purpose of the invention is to remedy these drawbacks and to allow for an attractive presentation while allowing individual objects, arranged in stacks by layers on top of each other, to be easily grasped, the objects themselves ensuring the rigidity of the connection between the layers by means of supports.

[0005] According to the invention, the display unit of stacked objects, comprising a base, a cover, and at least one divider element, equipped with means to position the objects, is characterized in that the edge of a dividing element has a recess allowing for a printed or decorated band to be placed on its exterior surface.

[0006] When the brand name of the objects cannot be placed on the objects themselves, the invention allows it to be displayed with the objects.

[0007] According to another characteristic of the invention, the display unit comprising a sheet formed with cells into which the said objects are partially inserted is characterized in that the objects being separated by layers, the dividing elements are made up of at least one sheet formed with cells into which the bottoms of the said objects are introduced, the opposite side of the support being equipped to hold the tops of the objects on a lower level.

[0008] Each divider element presents a surface with cells for holding the bottom of an object and an opposite side designed to hold the top of an object. It is thus possible to stack the objects by layers or levels on top of each other to obtain compact packaging.

[0009] The bottom of the objects is enclosed in the cells of the lower element, the top of the objects, covered by the cells of the upper divider element, not being visible, the stack seeming to support itself alone.

[0010] On the top of the stack is placed a cover or sheet, identical or not to the sheets forming the divider elements, with cells formed only to hold the tops. Protuberances and hollows allow for assembly of the divider elements alone, before they are filled with objects, without loss of space. This assembly immobilizes the sheets constituting the divider elements, and then the objects, one in relation to the other.

[0011] According to another characteristic of the invention, a divider element is formed of two identical sheets assembled by snapping them together in opposite directions. Manufacturing cost is thus reduced. The base of the stack is preferably made of two sheets, like the divider elements.

[0012] The elements or supports containing the hollow and protruding cells are separated by a recess where a band with an informational message, such as a brand name or other message useful to the consumer, can be placed.

[0013] The stack thus constituted can be arranged for transport in cardboard outer packaging, itself clad with blister packaging or heat-shrinkable film. At the point of sale, the stack, in block or lot form, is removed from the carton and placed within reach of purchasers. The flat rectangular form of the base makes the stack self-stabilizing.

[0014] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following description of a particular method of using the invention, given only as a non-limiting example, in comparison with the drawings, which represent:

[0015]FIG. 1, a view of the sheet that, with a similar sheet, will constitute a support according to the invention;

[0016]FIG. 2, an exploded view of a support of a layer;

[0017]FIG. 3, a view of a stack of objects.

[0018] In all the figures, the same references designate the same elements. In the example that will now be described, the objects to be grouped are lighters in the ususal parallelopiped form with rounded front and back sides.

[0019]FIG. 1 shows a sheet designated generally with the reference 1. This sheet will be used on the one hand to form the divider elements that support the levels or layers of the objects 0 and, on the other, as a cover for the top of the stack. The sheet 1 is made up of a thin layer of plastic material that can be heat molded. It comprises a group of cells 3 formed to hold, with friction, the bottom of the body of an object. In the example shown, the sheet is rectangular and has twelve cells, divided into three rows and four lines. Inside these cells are cavities 4, the bottoms of which are intended to serve as stops after assembly of the two sheets 1 as will be explained further on. In the corners of the rectangle, there are no cavities in the cells but, on one diagonal, two protuberances 6 and, on the other diagonal, two hollows 7, the protuberances 6 being inserted into the hollows 7 to allow for assembly of two sheets constituting a support. These protuberances and hollows, forming tenons and mortises, are provided so that one sheet to be snapped onto another to constitute a divider support. The surface 8 for placing the base of the objects is the same on every sheet, the upper surface of the protuberances 6 being at the same level as the bottom 5 of the cells 3. The sheets 1 are stackable in one direction (without space between the sheets) and can be grouped together in opposite directions.

[0020]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the divider element 10, constituted by back-to-back assembly of two sheets respectively 1A for the base and 1B for the top. Sheets 1A and 1B are represented in the assembly position. Sheet 1B is in the same position as the sheet represented in FIG. 1. In relation to this position, sheet 1A is turned 180° so that the cells 3, hollow on sheet 1B are protruding on sheet 1A. The stops 4 come to rest against the bottom 5 of the cells in the opposite sheet to ensure rigidity of the whole assembly. The protuberances 6 of sheet 1A can thus snap into the hollows 7 of sheet 1B and vice versa. Sheets 1A and 1B being assembled in opposite directions, the cells 5 of each sheet face one another.

[0021] To conceal the different assembly components, the protruding edges of the two sheets 1A and 1B have a recessed surface into which a paper or cardboard band 2 can be placed for decoration and/or information on the product, its manufacturer or distributor. The necessary indications thus appear on the edge of the divider elements and the base and/or the cover.

[0022] Such a support 1A, 1B, 2, reference 10, can hold, in its lower part, the top of objects of one layer and, in its upper part, the base of the body of the objects and constitutes a divider support between two layers, the edge of the support forming a recess into which is inserted the band with printed information.

[0023] As appears in FIG. 3, where only the body of the lighters “0” has been represented, the base of the stack is constituted by a support 10 of the type previously described of which only the upper part is used to hold the bottom of the objects 0 of the lowest level.

[0024] The intermediate levels are held between two intermediate supports 10 and the top of the objects is covered with a single sheet 11 before insertion of the stack into cardboard packaging under a blister, for example.

[0025] Of course, numerous variations can be made, in particular by substitution of equivalent technical methods, without going beyond the context of the invention. 

1. Stacking display unit comprising a base, a cover, and at least one divider element, equipped with means of positioning objects, characterized in that the objects (0) being separated by layers, the divider elements (10) being constituted of at least one sheet (1) formed with cells (3) into which are introduced the bottoms of said objects, the opposite side of the divider element being able to hold the tops of objects on a lower level, the side of a divider element (10) comprising a recess allowing for placement of a printed or decorated band (2) on the exterior surface.
 2. Display unit according to claim 1, characterized in that a divider element (10) is formed of two identical sheets (1A, 1B) assembled in opposite directions by snapping together protuberances (6) and hollows (7).
 3. Display unit according to claim 2 characterized in that the edges of the two assembled sheets (1A, 1B) of a support (10) form a recessed surface against which the band (2) is inserted.
 4. Display unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the means of snapping (6, 7) one sheet onto another are distributed in the corners of the sheets (1).
 5. Display unit according to claim 2, characterized in that in the bottom of the cells (3) of the two sheets (1) are formed cavities (4) the lower surface of which forms a stop.
 6. Display unit according to claim 2 characterized in that the sheets (1) are stackable in one direction and can be grouped together in the opposite direction.
 7. Display unit according to claim 2 characterized in that the base of the stack is formed of two sheets (1A, 1B).
 8. Display unit according to claim 2, characterized in that the cover (11) of the stack is constituted of one sheet (1). 